Guardian Chap 31

by ~Sunjian54

The Equestrian Guardian

Chap 31

"Wait what!? War?" David said repeating what Bio had told him as he was lead into the Apple family barn. "That's right, war." Bio grunted as he rolled a map out onto a table where Spitfire and Soarin were already standing. "Nightmare Sol has taken over ALL of Canterlot. Her power is like a plague. As it grows it engulfs everything it touches and turns it evil. Every servant, every guard, every pony in that castle and town now follows her!" He said slamming his tail on the table. David felt like his heart stopped. "Even Twilight and the others?" Bio sighed. "No not them. My guess is she wants to use them as bait and lure you back so she can slay you." David pounded his fists on the table until they were bright red.

"UGGGH! How am I supposed to fight against her? She brushed me aside like a parasprite." He said with images of how easily he had been crushed earlier flashing through his mind. "I don't know. What I do know however is with the rate this evil is spreading she could take over the whole world if she wanted too." Bio grunted. David put his head in his hands as he thought about what responsibility he had just been given. Command an army? His father could've commanded an army. All he had ever done was read military novels and watch shows about battle tactics on TV. He didn't know ANYTHING about leading. "I'm no leader." He said bluntly to Bio.

"That ain't what AJ told me." Big Mac said as he came back from quelling the mob that had been beating David earlier. "AJ don't lie about anything, and I reckon if she called ya'll a leader than boy howdy ya'll are a leader eeyup." He said nodding his head to put emphasis on his words. Big Mac had a point. If David chickened out now, there would be no one to lead an effort to take back Canterlot. And if AJ had so much faith in him, then why should he be scared? After all, getting a compliment on your leadership from one of the hardest working ponies in Ponyville does boost your spirits. "All right fine I'll lead the army." He sighed. Immediately everyone's faces brightened, Spitfire and Soarin had huge smiles on their faces along with Big Mac who just grinned and added an Eeyup. David swore he could even see a tiny smile on Bio's face. His face however turned serious as he walked toward the back of the barn.

"Now about your troops." He said as he put his tail on the rear door of the barn. "Oh yeah. Where am I supposed to find troops for this army?" David asked imploringly. Bio only chuckled and pushed the door open. What David saw caused his mouth to drop open. There before him in shining gold armor as far as the eye could see were the Equestrian Royal Guard. He stood transfixed by this show of force as they all cried; "GADIAN IPPAN, GADIAN IPPAN, GADIAN IPPAN!!" It was a strange chant that he had never heard but as they said it they stomped their hooves and flashed their wings and swords. "These are all that escaped the corruption with me. The rest fell to the evil plague." Bio said as he walked past them, each of them saluting as he walked by. "How many are there?" David asked still in shock at the force around him.

"About 300 in total. 100 of each type. Earth pony, Unicorn, and Pegasus." Bio said as he continued to walk past the formation. David's heart sank a tiny bit when he heard the numbers. 300 was nowhere near enough to take back Canterlot, let alone the castle itself. "We need more Bio." He said grimly. "I know. That's why we're going to march around Equestria and gather allies to make our numbers stronger." He said stopping at the edge of Sweet Apple Acres, where the back of the formation was. It was a good plan but David was still nervous. What if the other cities and people did not want to side with him? What if they feared Nightmare Sol more than they respected him? He quietly pushed those thoughts aside and stood facing west. "Appleloosa. That's our first stop Bio." He said turning toward his now formed Guardian Army.

"We march west. We leave behind our friends, our families, and our former lives. But know that we will return even stronger! And when we return we will return with victory by our side!" He shouted thrusting his sword into the air, which was answered by cheers and shouts of "Gadian Ippan." As he turned and began walking he listened to the sound of clattering armor and the stomping of hooves as his army followed behind him. Wanting to get one last look at Ponyville he turned to see a surprising sight. There… along the edge of the Apple Family fields was the entire population of Ponyville, and along with Big Mac, Spitfire, Soarin and the CMC they all saluted him and bid him farewell. He turned and resumed his place at the front of his marching army. "I shall return, and when I do… I will free everyone." He said as the army continued its march into the setting sun.

A few days had passed since the Guardian Army had left Ponyville. Thanks to Bio's iron leadership they were only a few days from Appleloosa, but like all armies the hot sun was becoming their enemy and the troops were exhausted after their forced march so David allowed them a full day to rest before moving out again. "Bio can I speak with you in private?" David said as he led them away from camp to a nearby oasis. "We're here." Bio said putting his hoof on a map of Equestria. "We should make it into Appleloosa by tomorrow." He said rolling up the map and placing it in his armor slot. Bio had begun wearing his Captain's armor since David had made him a general and it was only fair that he experienced the heat like the army. It was a way to show your troops that you held yourself to a level like them.

"Right. Once there I'll talk to AJ's cousin Braeburn. Maybe he can spare us some provisions. I doubt he has any fighters who can wield a sword." David said chuckling to himself. However as they started to head back a sudden twig snapping made them turn around and point their weapons at a bush where the sound had come from. A yellow pegasus with black hair suddenly stumbled out of the bush. David immediately ran over and saw that he was nearly pale and wasn't sweating at all even in the heat. "Bio he's got heat exhaustion go get the medics from the camp!" He commanded as he used his powers to pull water from the oasis and apply it to the pony's forehead. "I'll be back!" Bio shouted as he took off toward the camp. David continued placing water on the pony until it opened its eyes. "Hey… can you hear me?" He asked hoping that it could at least understand him.

"…water…" the pony replied reaching for the oasis. David placed the pony against a tree and gently used his powers to create a small water ball which he handed to the pony. "Drink that." He said as he began making another ball for himself. The water spell was one that he had learned at Ponyville Lake. He could compress the water into the shape of a ball and then keep it that way without spilling. He turned back to the yellow pony to see it guzzling the water ball with force. It was then that he saw its cutie mark. It appeared to be what looked like a red U shaped anchor with triangle tips. He also noticed that the pony's wings were tipped with blue feathers, something he had never seen before as well as fire colored tail. "Well now that you're recovering, what's your name?" David asked sitting next to the pony.

"D-Devin" he gasped as he continued to guzzle the water ball. Devin? Why does that name sound familiar? David thought as he noticed Bio returning with two medical ponies. "Good job on keeping him alive David." He said as the doctors began checking Devin for injuries. "He said his name is Devin." David said. But as soon as the word Devin passed his lips Bio and the medics immediately stopped working and looked at David. "W-What did you s-say his name was?" Bio asked obviously nervous. "Devin why? Is that a problem?" David asked scratching his head. "No it's not." Devin said getting too his feet as Bio and the medics snapped to attention. "I am Commander Devin. Commander of the Equestrian Army. I need to thank you for saving me Guardian." He said as he shook David's hand. David mind raced. He'd only been out in the desert for a few days and already he had gotten a wonderful ally.

"Commander Devin… I know this is right out of the blue and everything but…" Devin raised his hoof cutting David off. "If you're going to ask me to join your army then my answer is no." He said turning and walking toward Appleloosa. No? That's all he had to say? David stood in shock and what had just happened but one thing was clear. He was going to get Devin to join the Guardian army. They needed him. Next Chapter: Chapter 32 Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 11 Minutes